The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Wednesday, held a valedictory session in honour of the National Woman Leader, Late Professor Stella Effah-Attoe, who died on 29th October.
The session which was held at the party’s Wadata Plaza national headquarters was attended by party bigwigs including the acting national chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, his deputy Philip Shaibu and other party chieftains.
Damagum, in his tributes, described Effah-Attoe as a thorough, kind-hearted and hard-working member of the National Working Committee (NWC) who left her imprints on the sand of time and contributed in no small measure to the progress of the party.
While describing her death as a shocking and personal loss, Damagum called on family members to take solace in that Effah-Attoe lived an impactful life saying her memory will linger forever.
“Death comes with a lot of lessons, good ones and bitter ones. We are paying tribute to someone that is soft spoken. I am really short of words. She is very intelligent, she brings ability within the NWC. Like some of my colleagues, have said, at times when we are reading minutes, when there is no correction, I will ask her Prof, how far?
“She is someone who is very thorough and so a blessing to us in the NWC. She is very thorough, kindhearted and hard-working. Any time she is sober, she will come to me and complain about the situation of things, but I will make sure she leaves smiling because I will tell her it is because of this or that, that this thing is happening. I personally feel her loss.
“The news of her death was shocking, we never expected that. She might have gone but she is still with us. The beauty of this life is that the good things that you have done will live even after you are gone. To the family, you might have lost her, at the same time you should be proud that you lost someone who has impacted the people so much. Her memory will continue to linger, her goodwill will continue to be there and that should be your consolation.
“Prof will always tell you look the more the merrier, it is better to always have peace, because of her penchant for peace she has entered into many troubles. She believes that there should be peace in this party, she believes that is the only thing that can take us to the promise land. To those who feel bad about her stand on issues this is the time to forgive. She is going home in glory and this is what we all prayed for.”
In his own tributes, Governor Obaseki called on members of the NWC to imbibe the values and principles which the woman leader stood for during her lifetime.
“I am here to join you to commiserate with the family of our dear sister and woman leader. I am also commiserating with the family because I did not have the opportunity to join my colleagues the Governors, when they went to the house to commiserate with the family. So, much has been said about this amazing woman and everyone that has spoken has relieved the experience they had with her.
“She was someone that was always present, especially during the last presidential election and that was when I had the time to speak with her. Our party has suffered a major loss because she was a voice of intervention.
“We should try to imbibe the values she lived for and stood for while she was a member of our National Working Committee, Obaseki said.
. TheWitness
